Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
The Lawsuits Over The East Harlem Explosion Have Begun
By
John Surico
Published Mar 17, 2014
Modified Mar 17, 2014
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
Getty
By
John Surico
Published Mar 17, 2014
Modified Mar 17, 2014
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Last week's horrific gas leak explosion in East Harlem left eight New Yorkers dead and required the help of hundreds of FDNY firefighters. The catastrophe was like "working on Ground Zero again," as one firefighter described it, "the smoke in your face, digging through the rubble for bodies." And now of course the whole disaster is resulting in major lawsuits against the city.
Jose Vargas, a 20-year-old high school student who attended West Side High School nearby the location of the explosion, has filed the first one, seeking $10 million in damages. "The city knew those lines were more than one hundred years old. Obviously you can't have lines that old in today's infrastructure," his attorney, Robert Vilensky, told the New York Daily News.
According to his filings with the comptroller's office, Vargas, a Harlem resident, was on a bus en route to the High School when the blast caused the bus glass to shatter. He was then reportedly thrown against the bus's interior, causing the suspected injuries. Immediately after the explosion, Vargas was taken to Mount Sinai Medical Center. Arguing that he needs physical therapy, Vargas is seeking compensation upwards of $10 million for "torn ligaments" and "torn blood vessels."
Tagged
damages
east harlem explosion
lawsuit
mayor de blasio
John Surico
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Parents grumble as NYC schools chancellor dodges calls for NYC schools integration plan
Journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones said she felt disappointed by the lack of details.
By
Jessica Gould
Published Oct 20, 2026 at 10:01 p.m. ET
Driver found with apparent gunshot wound on George Washington Bridge, officials say
The westbound upper level was closed Tuesday night as Port Authority police investigated the incident.
By
Charles Lane
News
Driver found with apparent gunshot wound on George Washington Bridge, officials say
The westbound upper level was closed Tuesday night as Port Authority police investigated the incident.
By
Charles Lane
16 arrested in New York auto insurance fraud crackdown involving nearly $500K
By
Giulia Heyward
Coney Island's small, 1890s lighthouse may be landmarked by the city
By
Catalina Gonella
New renderings are out for Queens' Metropolitan Park casino
By
Willow Higgins
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .